Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses Salary in Tennessee
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses in Tennessee have a median of $58,870 a year, below the national $64,400 (−9%); the state ranks 44th of 51 states by median. Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses earn 24% more than the median across all occupations in Tennessee ($47,380). Among neighbouring states, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Missouri and Kentucky pay more (up to $64,920 in Virginia) and Alabama, Arkansas and Mississippi pay less (down to $50,220 in Mississippi). Tennessee employs 20,830 licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses, 6.35 per 1,000 jobs, the 8th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.52 means the occupation is more concentrated in Tennessee than nationally.
Tennessee vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Tennessee | Hourly | $19.76 | $23.64 | $28.31 | $30.12 | $32.47 | $27.15 | 20,830 | 6.35 | 1.52 |
| Annual | $41,110 | $49,170 | $58,870 | $62,650 | $67,540 | $56,470 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $23.91 | $28.37 | $30.96 | $36.55 | $40.12 | $32.24 | 648,410 | – | – |
| Annual | $49,740 | $59,000 | $64,400 | $76,030 | $83,440 | $67,050 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 44th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 8th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.52
- Jobs per 1,000
- 6.35
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Tennessee's employment divided by its national share; 1.00 means the same share as the nation. Take-home pay at these wages: FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Metropolitan areas in Tennessee
10 metropolitan areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas touching Tennessee publish a row for licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses, sorted by median. Areas crossing a state line are listed under every state they touch; a linked metro has its own profile.
| Area | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $29.78 | $61,940 | $46,730 | $73,200 | 5,650 | 5.14 | 1.23 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $28.43 | $59,140 | $41,130 | $68,410 | 2,980 | 4.87 | 1.17 |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | $28.16 | $58,580 | $42,810 | $65,520 | 1,560 | 5.82 | 1.40 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | $28.01 | $58,260 | $45,760 | $71,430 | 630 | 6.11 | 1.47 |
| Knoxville, TN | $27.86 | $57,960 | $38,400 | $64,500 | 2,650 | 6.24 | 1.50 |
| Morristown, TN | $26.51 | $55,140 | $39,170 | $63,490 | 260 | 5.59 | 1.34 |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $25.99 | $54,050 | $41,950 | $64,360 | 800 | 6.68 | 1.60 |
| Cleveland, TN | $25.17 | $52,350 | $44,140 | $61,410 | 270 | 6.25 | 1.50 |
| Johnson City, TN | $24.75 | $51,480 | $41,540 | $61,490 | 820 | 10.06 | 2.41 |
| Jackson, TN | $24.36 | $50,670 | $41,030 | $60,870 | 810 | 9.59 | 2.30 |
| North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $28.66 | $59,610 | $44,430 | $62,100 | 1,430 | 12.48 | 2.99 |
| South Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $27.54 | $57,280 | $43,100 | $63,240 | 1,100 | 10.02 | 2.40 |
| East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $26.77 | $55,670 | $40,910 | $62,550 | 860 | 6.07 | 1.46 |
| West Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $24.95 | $51,890 | $39,940 | $62,730 | 1,380 | 11.73 | 2.81 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee | $28.31 | $58,870 | 20,830 | 1.52 |
| Alabama | $27.42 | $57,030 | 11,580 | 1.31 |
| Arkansas | $27.22 | $56,620 | 10,010 | 1.84 |
| Georgia | $29.82 | $62,030 | 21,060 | 1.03 |
| Kentucky | $29.07 | $60,460 | 8,570 | 1.03 |
| Missouri | $29.58 | $61,530 | 14,700 | 1.20 |
| Mississippi | $24.14 | $50,220 | 9,850 | 2.03 |
| North Carolina | $30.42 | $63,270 | 18,010 | 0.87 |
| Virginia | $31.21 | $64,920 | 15,550 | 0.91 |
See the national page for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses (every state ranked) and the Tennessee wage profile (every occupation in the state).
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS Tennessee estimates.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.